John Francis Skjellerup (aka James Francis Skjellerup; 16 May 1875 – 6 January 1952) was an Australian amateur astronomer who spent two decades working as a telegraphist in South Africa.
His father Peder Jensen Skjellerup was Danish and died when he was young; his mother was Margaret Williamson, born in England.
[1] His youngest brother, George Skellerup (who dropped the silent "j" from his surname later in life), became a successful industrialist in New Zealand.
He married South African Mary Peterson and returned with her to Australia in 1923 where they settled in Melbourne; she died in 1950 and there were no children.
[5] He discovered or co-discovered various comets in both South Africa and Australia, including the periodic comet 26P/Grigg–Skjellerup in South Africa and the very bright Skjellerup–Maristany (C/1927 X1) (visible mostly from the Southern Hemisphere) in Australia.